Heros: Choices
by Aeryn's Tales
Summary: Second in the Heros series. The gang travels on and helps the helpless.
1. Chapter One

**_As a disclaimer: _Aeryn Tales is not affiliated with FOX, The WB, Paramount, or any of the agencies that may be mentioned here. I do not make any money off of any of the characters, plots, or other items mentioned.**

Heros: Episode Two: Choices  
  
_Hold on,   
Hold on to yourself,   
For this is gonna hurt like hell.  
-Sarah MacLachlan_

He was running. The wind rushed against his cheeks, and pulled his hair as he sped through the stones. He was close now. He could smell his quarry; no more that 30 feet ahead of him. He slowed his pace, as he changed from a sprint to stealth mode. The vampire didn't even see him coming, and the fight was brief. The hunter sat back on his heels. He was not even breathing hard.  
  
A clock chimed in the distance. 'Damn!' he thought. It would be morning soon. How in hell was going to explain this one to his parents again?  
  
He fled so quickly from the scene that he didn't notice the man with the camera behind the tree.

* * *

It had taken them about two hours to leave Los Angels after their decision at Denny's. First, Gunn had to go back to his apartment, and get supplies and cash. And then there was the little matter of finding a ride. It had to be large enough for four people to travel, plus special accommodations for Spike's sunlight problem. In the end, they had settled on Gunn's old truck. It was outfitted with a top on the cab, so Spike could hide out in there during daylight hours.  
  
So by the time they got on the road, it was almost dawn. That created a problem. Spike couldn't drive during daylight hours, Gunn was too exhausted to drive, never mind Illyria, who had never been behind the wheel of a vehicle before, and then there was Layla, who explained she couldn't drive either. Apparently angels and technology didn't mix.  
  
So barely two hours away from Los Angeles, Spike pulled the truck over at a motel so everyone could rest for the day. While Gunn went to the front desk to pay, Spike sat on the hood and smoked. 'Not a bad little town,' he thought to himself. 'Kind of quaint really.'  
  
Illyria sat waiting in the truck. She had decided to amuse herself by reading the manual for the truck. Layla was wandering around the parking lot. Spike shook his head as he watched her. She was a looker, he gave her that. Not in an exotic way or anything, but she just shone with viberance. But he just didn't understand her! And more than that she completely befuddled him, and great...now she is doing headstands in the parking lot!  
  
He opened his mouth to say something, but caught site of Gunn coming out with a key, and decided to just let it go. Illyria too, had spied him and came out of the truck.  
  
"Did you obtain lodging for us?" She asked.  
  
"Yup. One room for all four of us though. Better to save money. There are two beds, but since two of us don't sleep, I figured it didn't matter."  
  
They walked up the stairs to the room. They reached the door with the number 2H. Gunn opened the door, and ushered everyone inside. Spike entered, and flopped down on the bed furthest from the door. Gunn closed the shades, and collapsed onto the nearest bed. He was asleep in seconds.  
  
Spike lit another cigarette, and flipped on the television. Illyria explored the small motel room quickly. From her movements, Spike could tell she was thinking of weaknesses in the room, and defensive strategies.  
  
Satisfied, she turned to Spike and Layla. "I will guard this place while you rest." She announced. Then took up a position by the door, and remained there.  
  
Layla sat on the edge of Spike's bed, and started looking at the television. She seemed particularly interested in the commercials. After ten minutes though she was looking back at Spike.  
  
"You should be resting." She admonished with a grin.  
  
Spike rolled his eyes. "Don't you angel types ever hear of unwinding? Now if there was beer here, then life would be great."  
  
"Are alcoholic beverages necessary in relaxing?" She looked at him with interest. "Mortal behavior is fascinating. I don't understand it though. You strive to make decisions with all relevant facts and a clear head, but then you seem so eager to dull your mind at the first available opportunity." She shook her head. "I don't understand the appeal."  
  
Spike looked over at Illyria, who simply was watching them with interest, but offering no help or desire to join the conversation. Sighing, he looked back at Layla. "So what do you lot do for fun then? How do you relax up on high?"  
  
Layla frowned. "Well, we don't need to. I don't think I have ever been stressed or frustrated before. Actually, we don't really feel much of anything."  
  
Spike's eyebrow rose. "No feelings...at all? How's that then?"  
  
Layla looked down at her hands as if trying to formulate words. "There is peace...contentment...and love...but love not as you think of it. There is solace and joy. But no real...passion. I guess that is one of the reasons I am here. To learn." She looked Spike in the eyes, and sighed. "It's hard to explain."  
  
Spike shook his head, and stubbed out his cigarette. "Well, if you ask me it sounds like you guys got the bum end of the stick. Life with out passion is not really worth living. Now I must get some sleep. Want the TV on?"  
  
Layla shook her head, and Spike flicked it off. She watched him roll over, and go to sleep. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
As soon as the sun had descended from the sky, Spike herded everyone back in the truck, and off they went. The trip was long and, apart from the radio, very quiet. No one had much to say, each lost in their own thoughts. Illyria and Gunn were delegated to the back seat of the truck, while Layla sat up front with Spike. She spent the most of the trip with her face pressed to the window looking at what she could manage to see in the darkness.  
  
"So where are we going then?" Gunn said, breaking the silence.  
  
"We appear to be going north." Illyria answered, looking at Spike.  
  
"Yup." Spike answered. "Thought we would see the rest of California before we leave it. Also, I wanted to stop by the crater formerly known as Sunnydale. Want to see my handy work so to speak."  
  
Illyria nodded, and Gunn rolled his eyes.  
  
"So where are we then?" Gunn asked.  
  
Spike looked around for a sign, "Not sure really. Wasn't paying attention."  
  
Layla pointed to a sign coming up, "It says, we are 30 miles from San Mateo."  
  
Gunn stomach gurgled. He flushed with embarrassment.  
  
Illyria looked at him quizzically. "I believe Gunn is hungry again."  
  
Gunn looked at her defensively, "Well we have been on the road for six hours!"  
  
Illyria just looked at him. Spike grinned. "Relax kiddies. We'll stop in the next town for the night. San Mateo here we come!"

* * *

The hunter ran....and ran...he felt compelled by a drive he had never known. His bruises and cuts burned as the wind hit them. His muscles cried out for a rest he wouldn't give them. It had been three days, and still his body hadn't completely healed from the beating it had gotten. His father had been furious. His mother had been quietly worried, and fussed over his wounds. He hadn't meant to worry them. He honestly hadn't been thinking at all when he rushed off. Run...just keep running... 'Don't fool yourself,' he thought, 'You've been this way for months.' His dreams had been haunted by images both frightening and awesome, and every night he felt the blood boil in his veins. Compelling him to hunt. It frightened him.  
  
He came upon a fence almost as high as him, but he jumped it easily, and kept running. Driven by emotions tightly buried during the day, but always under the surface. He leapt over tombstones, and slowed. He was being followed. He smelt the air, every part of his body tense and waiting. It wasn't a long wait. The demon jumped him from behind, and the hunter fought back with every bit of skill and fervor his eighteen years could give. The demon didn't stand a chance. The hunter looked down, breathing softly. Reason started dawning. This is the tenth demon this week! When did San Matteo become a demon haunt? He had never even seen a demon until a couple months ago. Now all of a sudden his hometown was becoming ridden with them. He scanned the scenery around him, and smelled the air. Nothing. Yet, the feeling of being watched hadn't died with the demon. Prudence, he decided was the better choice, and checked his watch: 10:00; more than enough time to meet up with his friends at Joe's Pizza! He took off at a run.  
  
A figure appeared from around the tree, downwind, with a video camera. He took out a cell phone and spoke, "Yes sir. Subject is performing remarkably. He just took out a Ferral Demon without any weapons." He nodded, "Agreed, more observation is necessary, but contact should happen soon. Yes, I have the video tape. I'll come immediately." He closed the phone, walked to his car, and drove off into the night. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
They had arrived in San Matteo with just enough time to grab Gunn some snacks from a local mini-mart, and find a place to hole up for the morning. Spike had disappeared briefly for a couple of hours, but had returned before dawn. Gunn guessed why he had disappeared. Besides the simple need to be by one's self after being cooped up in a truck for hours, there was also the fact that no one could remember Spike feeding since before the apocalyptic battle in Los Angeles. 'Best leave him to it,' Gunn thought, since he was in no hurry to ask anyways.  
  
Layla had been curious at Spike's departure, but she had not said a word. She had disappeared into the bathroom to experiment with the concept of having a shower, but reappeared a few moments later soaking wet through all her clothes and stated she didn't see what was so great about it. Gunn almost fell out of his chair he was laughing so hard, and once he regained his breath explained you take your clothes off first. Layla raised an eyebrow, and then disappeared back into the bathroom to try again.  
  
Illyria watched the scenario with interest, but did not understand why Gunn was crying or laughing so hard. She searched her memory, and then reluctantly Fred's as well to try to comprehend it.  
  
There was a memory there about something called slapstick, but even with Fred's knowledge, it was just too confusing. Gunn got up, walked over to the bathroom door, and knocked on it.  
  
"Hey Layla! I'm hitting the hay, K?"  
  
"What? What hay?" came through the bathroom door.  
  
Gunn could almost hear Layla trying to figure out what he had just said, which merely caused him to grin again. "I'm going to sleep now."  
  
"OH! Okay then!"  
  
Gunn walked over to his bed and kicked off his shoes after he sat down. Then he looked at Illyria. "So what are you planning on doing today?"  
  
Illyria pondered that for a moment. "I think I will go for a walk after Spike returns. I wish to see the green and move my legs for bit. They have gotten stiff with all the sitting." She looked at the door, then back at Gunn. "I also wish to assess this town for threats, in case there is the need to do battle here."  
  
Gunn shook his head and lay down. "Well I'll leave you to it then. Though I hope there is no need to do battle of any sort. I'm still getting over the last one." With that he rolled over, and went to sleep.

* * *

The man in the suit arrived at the pre-arranged destination, and got out of his car. He walked into the non-descript house on the outskirts of San Matteo. Another man met him in the hall, and led him to a large study. It was rather bare for such a huge room, but there were several laptop computers arranged on a desk along with an assortment of cell phones. There was an elderly man sitting at the desk talking on one of them, when the younger men entered. He beckoned them to chairs, but continued talking on the phone. The man in the suit pulled the video camera out of his pocket, and busied himself rewinding the tape of the night's stakeout.  
  
He didn't even notice his superior end his call.  
  
"You're late, Bartleby."  
  
The young man jumped. "Yes sir. But what I have here I believe makes up for it."  
  
He handed over the camera with the tape set to play. "As you can see sir, the testing is going smoothly. The subject has no knowledge of our reconnaissance. His skill level is much higher than we imagined for one so recently called." He paused, and licked his lips nervously. "If you are correct in your theory that the slayer line has extended into the male gender, then this makes him a remarkable tool. He appears to have had no training, but could easily match the most experience slayer."  
  
The elder man finished watching the tape. Then removed it from the camera, and placed it in a drawer. He looked up at the two men seated before him. "Yes, this development is indeed a breakthrough. Continue the experiment. If all goes well we can approach him in a couple of days."  
  
At the silence, Bartleby and the other man excused themselves, and left the room.

* * *

Spike returned home shortly before dawn, to find Gunn asleep, the shower running, and Illyria impatient to get out and investigate for possible threats.  
  
"Take care Blue not to scare the natives, huh?"  
  
Illyria frowned, and once again softened the blue in her eyes and shook some of the blue out of her hair. She even went as far to remove the blue totally from her face and skin. Spike nodded. "Better." And with that Illyria left.  
  
Spike took off his coat, and sat down on the other bed. He lit a cigarette, ignoring the No Smoking sign on the wall. He sat thinking about the events as of late. It felt he was become some de-facto leader of sorts, and he wasn't sure how that sat with him. He had always been one to rush into battle, and give the fight all he was worth. Only now, he was finding himself making the plans and keeping the peace. He wasn't sure he liked it. He leaned back on the bed so he was sitting with his back to the headboard, and smoked.  
  
'Hang on a tic,' he thought, 'Where's Layla!?' As if in answer to his thought, the shower turned off, and out stepped the girl in question dressed only in a towel. She didn't seem to notice Spike, until she sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't seem surprised he was there though.  
  
'She has to be the strangest bird I have ever met,' he thought to himself, and seeing that Illyria was with them, that said a lot. "Have a nice shower?" he said aloud.  
  
She looked at him. No wait, she looked through him. Spike shuddered inside a bit. It was like she looked past the outer part, and only saw what was inside. It was creepy, but yet a little nice.  
  
"I don't understand this whole shower experience," she said.  
  
"Really? How so?" Spike said with a raised eyebrow.  
  
Layla watched him take a long drag on his cigarette. She wondered why he smoked those things. They smelled funny, and contained body damaging chemicals. "Well, I have watched these people on the television, and they seemed to find it relaxing and enjoyable." She frowned. "It was nice when the water was hot, and felt good on my skin. But then the water got cold, and that was not so enjoyable."  
  
Spike grinned behind his cigarette, "You're supposed to get out before the water gets cold, love." It was then it clicked she was only wearing a towel.  
  
"Oh!" She said in understanding. Her eyes widened a bit. They were a cloudy grayish bluish. 'Eyes you could get sucked into,' he thought. He shook his head. 'What are you thinking mate! She's a bloody angel!' But her chestnut hair was damp and stuck to her skin, which was ivory smooth, and that towel clung....'Damn!" he thought.  
  
Spike stubbed out his cigarette, and leapt up.  
  
"Where are you going?" Layla asked puzzled.  
  
"To take a shower," Spike called from the bathroom. "And you may want to get dressed before you catch a cold."  
  
Layla heard the bathroom door shut, and looked at it with confusion. "I don't understand mortals," she whispered to herself.  
  
Gunn started to snore. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
It took most of the day for Illyria to explore, and in her strict view, assess the town. She explored from streets and suburbs to shops and parks. However, every time she drew near the graveyard, she found herself avoiding it. It wasn't till the sun went down that she once again found herself outside the gates. She knew she must go in, but a small part of her kept flashing to the scene a few nights ago. Grief rushed in, and her hand clasped the gate to keep herself from collapsing from the pain. The steel under her fingers began to twist and bend under her tight grip, and she stepped back gasping. She closed her eyes, and for a moment she was back in the lab at Wolfram and Hart, and he was standing next to her. His eyes clouded with grief, and smelling of whisky and the salt of unshed tears.  
  
_"We cling to what is gone. Is there anything in this life but grief?"  
  
"There's love. There's hope...for some. There's hope that you'll find something worthy...that your life will lead you to some joy. That after everything...you can still be surprised."  
_  
"Is that enough to live on?" She opened her eyes, and realized she said this last part aloud. The grief and pain, so unfamiliar and revolting a scant few days ago, began to ebb by shear force of her will. Feeling ridiculous for her moment of weakness, she opened the gate and walked inside.

* * *

Spike had come out of the bathroom to find Layla had once again disappeared. And for once, he was grateful. The darn woman had left him zero hot water, and after that little conversation had made him feel distinctly uneasy and disoriented. He heard Gunn snore in his sleep, and mumble something as he rolled over. He smiled at Gunn with a touch of envy; to lose yourself in sleep without a care in the world. It had been a very long time since he had felt that way.  
  
"You have the right idea, Charlie Boy," he said to himself and crawled into bed and fell asleep dreaming of silver wings.  
  
Night came, and Gunn woke up with a pang in his stomach and a sense of dread. He dreamed he was being watched by men with cameras. 'Creepy,' he thought to himself. He looked around, but found himself alone in the room, except for Spike who was tossing and turning in his sleep talking about someone named Cecily.  
  
He got up, and headed into the bathroom to take a shower. The hot water felt good on his muscles, and he checked on the progress of all his wounds. The gash on his side had healed with the predicted scar, and the massive cut on his head had vanished to a neat scab. Pity his inward scars were disappearing at a slower rate, but you had to hand it to their resident angel. She had definitely sped up the healing process. He got dressed and headed back into the room, just as Layla phased in.  
  
"Neat trick," Gunn said with a smile.  
  
Layla smiled back, and looked around. "Illyria has not yet returned?"  
  
Gunn shook his head. "Nope. Must still be out exploring. Just us and Spike, I'm afraid."  
  
Layla looked over at Spike and shook her head. "He confuses me. One moment his behavior is predictable, and the next it is random. Yet, there is order to his chaos. He intrigues, yet irritates me."  
  
Gunn smirked, "Well that's our Spike." He looked at the clock, 8:30. "Look, I gotta get something to eat, so how about we wake up Mr. Paradox and go find Illyria?"  
  
Gunn walked over and shook Spike awake. "Hey rise and shine!"  
  
Spike opened one eye and sat up with a start. "Ok, ok! I'm up! Why am I up?"  
  
"Because it is 8:32, Gunn is hungry, and Illyria is still out," Layla answered.  
  
"Right, as long as we are clear then." Spike shook his head to clear the cobwebs. He got out of bed and threw on his jacket. "Where to?"  
  
Gunn walked over and opened the door, "I saw a pizza joint not to far from here, when we arrived."  
  
"Right, after you then," Spike said as Gunn walked out the door. Then looked at Layla, "You coming?" and followed Gunn out the door, trying to ignore Layla's eyes on his back.

* * *

Illyria felt the disturbance before it appeared. One moment she was alone, the next she was surrounded by a gang of five vampires.  
  
"Where do you think you are going, little girl?" the leader asked her as he stalked forward.  
  
"You will depart from my sight, half-breed." She stated without fear. "Or I will turn you and yours to dust at my feet."  
  
The leader grinned. "Let's get her boys!"  
  
Illyria smiled back, and shifted into her full glory. Blue hair returned, piercing inhuman blue eyes hardened, and body armor enclosed her small body.  
  
The leader recognized his mistake too late. Before he could issue the command to run, she had already dusted two of them; the other two lackeys went down screaming as she ripped them apart slowly. The leader ran, and she followed. It felt good. The violence was tangible, where her grief was not. It was an acceptable outlet.  
  
The leader looked back behind him, and suddenly felt a pain in his chest. As he turned to dust, he found it was not the blue nightmare behind him, but a teenage boy who had killed him.  
  
Illyria was on the scene in a matter of seconds. She looked at the boy, about to rebuke him for destroying her foe, but the words died in her mouth. This one was familiar.  
  
The boy looked at her with surprise. "Illyria? What are you doing here?"  
  
Her mouth opened, as old memories and newer recovered ones flowed in, "Connor." 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
  
Illyria's mouth went dry. Here they were in the middle of a graveyard, and all Connor could think was 'Man does she look great in that outfit!' Then it hit him, why was she in a graveyard in that outfit in his town?!  
  
"Illyria, where's Angel?"  
  
Illyria was only looking at him. She looked, in his opinion, as she had just been hit by a bus. "Illyria, what's going on?" But she wasn't looking at him anymore. She was looking over at a tree, and had started striding purposely over to it.  
  
"Hey wait! Where are you going?"  
  
Then he saw the man running toward the gate. He started running after him, but it was too late. He had gotten into his car, and sped off. Connor returned to Illyria, who was crouched over the spot by the tree where the man had been standing.  
  
"He has been here for some time. And it seems for many nights." She pointed to his footprints. "The mud has dried, and become wet again indicating the passing of many days."  
  
Connor looked at her a bit irritated. "I know how to read tracks, Illyria." He looked at the tree. "He's been leaning on this branch often. It smells of him, and" he pulled a piece of material off of it, "he's left a piece of himself behind."  
  
Illyria stood, and looked appraisingly at Connor. "We must regroup with the others. I fear someone has been observing you and your activities for sometime."  
  
She turned, and walked off toward the gate without waiting for him. He ran to catch up, and noticed by the time she reached the street her appearance had changed. She looked more...human.  
  
"Hey it's great you are concerned about my welfare and all. Really. But do you have any idea what is going on, and where is Angel? Last I saw him he was leaving the ruins of Wolfram and Heart."  
  
She turned her head to him, but still kept walking. "You observed the destruction? Interesting. He did not tell us you had participated. But then," she conceded, "there was not much time for discourse."  
  
Connor looked at her suspiciously, but followed along with her as she walked on.

* * *

Gunn was heartily enjoying his pizza. Layla was picking at hers, as if not quite sure what to do with it. Spike was gulping his beer as if it was going out of style.  
  
Finally Layla picked up her slice, and cautiously bit into it. After several minutes of chewing, and eventually swallowing, she looked up at Gunn with surprise.  
  
"This is quite tasty...I think...I mean, my mouth quite enjoys it." And she started eating more rapidly.  
  
Spike, who hadn't much as looked at her most of the night, nearly spit out his beer at her comment. "Careful Angel Toes, you'll get a stomach ache if you eat that so fast. Come to think of it, do you even have a stomach?"  
  
Layla looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, I have a stomach. I mean, I do when I am corporeal, which I am now, so..."  
  
"I get it."  
  
Layla frowned at his abrupt tone, and went back to her pizza. Gunn looked at both of them. Yesterday they were getting along fine, and today Spike was barely going near her. Well he was not one to let that drop. "So what's up you two? Had a fight while I was sleeping?"  
  
"No Charlie, we didn't have a bloody fight." Spike looked into his beer.  
  
Layla thought over the past events. Spike was acting cool to her. "Well, last night I was discussing with Spike the fact I didn't understand the relaxing concept of the shower. He got very odd, and ran into the bathroom. I think I offended him."  
  
Spike's eyes got wide. "What?!" 'Oh shit!' he thought to himself and mentally slapped himself. She had no idea! "You didn't offend me, love. It's just that..."  
  
Realization dawned on Gunn's face. "What were you wearing Layla?"  
  
"A towel."  
  
Gunn nearly wet himself laughing. Spike looked at him like he was going to hit him, and Layla just looked really confused. Gunn forced himself to calm down. "Ok, Layla.." as he sucked in a deep breath. "Um, guys tend to find girls in towels...um...well..."  
  
Suddenly, Layla got it. Her face went very pink, and she looked at Spike in the eye slightly mortified, yet a bit amused. "You found me sexually attractive!" Her voice was a bit loud, and the next table turned and looked over at them.  
  
"Not so bloody loud!" Spike hissed. "Yes well, I'm a bloke, and you're well...not...and oh hell can we just change the subject!"  
  
Gunn grinned. Layla was starting to see the humor in it as well, but was still a nice shade of pink.  
  
"Oh Hell!" Spike growled. "I'm going outside to have a smoke. I will see you yahoos out there."  
  
And he stalked out of the restaurant.

* * *

Bartleby, as soon as he was far enough away from the graveyard, called his superior immediately. 'Damn!' he thought to himself. How like an amateur to get spotted like that! And who the Hell was the woman in blue! She appeared out of nowhere, and totally ruined the experiment. He hoped his superiors knew who she was. Thank God, he had his camera!  
  
"Daniels here," came the voice at the other end.  
  
"Sir! The experiment has been compromised. There is at least one outside agent working with the boy."  
  
Daniels was quiet. "Who was this agent?" he said somberly.  
  
"I don't know sir. She was small, blue, with red body armor. She moved very quickly, Sir. And she was...well...inhumanly strong. She dusted four of the vampires in mere seconds."  
  
He could feel Daniels thinking on the other end of the phone. "Report to headquarters immediately. We must assess this situation at once. I want to know what new players we are dealing with."  
  
Bartleby hung up the phone, and drove as fast as his car would let him. 


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six  
  
Spike stalked outside feeling very pissed off and slightly humiliated. He threw himself on a bench outside the door, and lit a cigarette. 'That woman is going to be the end of me!' he thought to himself. One moment she was innocence incarnate, the next she was...well...dammit! She hadn't had a clue until Charlie had spelt it out for her! Suddenly, he felt rather bad for being so angry at her. He was so busy chastising himself, that when he looked up from the spot on the pavement that had held his attention for several minutes, that he almost missed seeing Illyria walking by on the opposite side of the street.  
  
"Hey Blue!" he called over to her. Illyria stopped, and looked over at him. She looked a bit surprised to see him there, but she swiftly turned and started walking across the street. Cars screeched to a halt to avoid hitting her, and a couple of the drivers hurled several unsavory words at her.  
  
Spike noticed she wasn't alone. She was accompanied by a boy in his late teens, who seemed very oddly familiar. Illryia reached him quickly. She seemed very unconcerned about the cars and their drivers. 'Sometimes she's in her own little world,' Spike thought to himself. Instead he said, "Um...Illyria, next time wait for the cars to actually stop, huh?"  
  
Illyria looked back at the cars with distaste, but nodded her head in acquiescence. The boy hurried up after her.  
  
"I found this one in the graveyard," she stated.  
  
"That's nice Blue. Um..who is he?"  
  
The boy stuck out his hand. "Connor. We met a few months ago at Wolfram and Hart."  
  
Spike took his hand and nodded. "Right! I remember now. Super boy! How've you been then?"  
  
"Fine. Got back from LA a few days ago," he noticed Spike flinched at the mention of Los Angeles. "Is Angel with you?"  
  
Spike looked at Illyria, and tried to keep his face impassive. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Gunn and Layla leaving the restaurant.  
  
"Hey, you found her then!" Gunn smiled at Illyria, then noticed Connor. "And...I don't know you."  
  
"This is Connor," Illyria stated, "He came to Wolfram and Hart while you were in the holding dimension. He is a friend of Angel's."  
  
"Oh," Gunn said. He really did not want to be reminded of that recent time in his life. "Right. Well, pleased to meet you. This is Layla." He pointed to the woman at his side.  
  
Connor nodded at her. She looked at him with kind eyes and a smile. 'Wow,' Connor thought, 'Where do they get these women?' But they were stalling. He could feel it.  
  
Spike looked at Connor. "We were headed back to the motel. Do you want to join us?"  
  
Connor nodded, and the group walked back in silence.

* * *

Bartleby arrived to find Daniels in teleconference with five others of his rank. Daniels waved him over to a chair, and asked the council if they minded a brief recess while he consulted his agent on recent events. The others nodded, and Daniels disconnected his link.  
  
"Show me the footage Bartleby."  
  
Bartleby handed Daniels the camera, and waited patiently as he watched the footage, twice. Then he put down the camera, and sighed.  
  
"You did good work tonight Bartleby. I will pass this on to the council, and see what they come up with. From what I see and your description, she appears to be some type of demon, but I am unclear who or what."  
  
"They knew each other, sir. I could tell by their body language and speech. And Sir, I believe they were friendly."  
  
Daniels nodded. "I am authorizing you to make contact tonight. We must secure the services of this slayer. Otherwise, _He_ will not be pleased." He shuddered as did Bartleby. No one had met the leader of their order, but none dared cross or disappoint him. For none lived to tell the tale of it.  
  
"I will secure him tonight, Sir. I shall not fail."  
  
Daniels nodded. "I hope for your sake you do not," he said as Bartleby hurried from the room.

* * *

They had arrived back at the motel in silence. Spike led the way inside, everyone followed, but Layla who stayed outside.  
  
"So where _is_ Angel?" Connor asked, for what he felt was the millionth time. "I know something big went down in LA. Hell, I was in it!"  
  
Spike looked down. Illyria looked sad. Gunn bit his lip. Then Connor knew. He just _knew_. He backed up against the wall. His legs felt suddenly uneasy, and his mind reeled.  
  
"Where is he!?" he said frantically. This was not happening. This was not supposed to happen.  
  
"Where is my Father!?" he screamed. The dam had burst inside. Everything he had held at bay since he had remembered came crashing in. Every moment. Every thought. Every feeling. Every hope.  
  
Spike looked stunned. "What...what did you just say?"  
  
Gunn looked floored. He just sat down in a chair.  
  
Illyria walked over to him, and put her hand on his arm. "He fell in battle that night. He is at peace now."  
  
Connor just stared at her, and collapsed into tears. He cried for everything that had happened, he cried for Angel, and he cried for what could have been. She held him, until the sobbing quieted, and he was able to stand on his own again. Then led him to the bed, where he sat down. He felt numb, cold, and suddenly very much alone in the world.  
  
Spike looked at Illyria. "You knew?" he said to her. She nodded. "Angel has a son? How in bloody hell did Angel have a son? And how come none of us knew about it?" He paced as he spoke, then just gave up and sat down too.  
  
Illyria looked at them. "Angel made a deal with the Wolf, Ram and Hart. He would take over the Los Angeles branch, if they gave Connor a ...normal life." She looked at Connor, then back at the others. "They had Cyrus Vail alter the reality of this world. No one but Angel remembered him."  
  
"How do you know then?" Gunn asked stunned.  
  
"Wesley found out about the reality shift when Connor arrived. He was suspicious of Angel's attitude toward him. He and I went to Vail's home, and Wesley shattered the Orlon Window. This allowed us and Connor to remember what we had forgotten."  
  
"You mean what Fred had forgotten," Gunn whispered.  
  
Illryia nodded silently.  
  
Spike sat in awe. "But how?"  
  
"Darla," Connor said, his mouth dry. "My mother was Darla." Spike's eyes widened more. "A crazy Power That Be tried to manipulate things. I was created for her crazy genetic experiment." The look on his face showed he did not want to get into it more.  
  
Spike just shook his head. "I need a drink. Anyone else?"  
  
Everyone, but Illyria nodded. "Right. I'll head over to the liquor store across the way, and get some then." Spike fled from the room.  
  
Connor stood. "I need some air." No one argued with him. He walked out the door to the balcony. Layla was sitting there, swinging her legs over the side. He didn't even notice. Had it only been four days? He still felt Angel's hands on his arms; could still hear his voice in his ears; could still feel the ground rock underneath his feet.  
  
_"Go home, now!"  
  
"They'll destroy you."  
  
"As long as you're ok, they can't."  
_  
Connor felt fresh tears as he remembered those last words. He lived, but with regrets. He had finally started to get to know him, and now he was gone. Gone. Connor grabbed the railing to keep himself from falling.  
  
Layla looked at the boy next to her. She felt his grief and regret, as keenly as if it were her own. She knew she could say nothing to him that would ease his pain. When he had regained control once more, Connor realized that Layla was sitting on the very unsteady railing next to him.  
  
"You should probably get down from there," he offered. She smiled back at him.  
  
"It's ok. I've been higher."  
  
Connor looked at her unconvinced.  
  
"Layla, for pity's sake love, get down from there!" Spike called from below.  
  
Layla grinned at Connor, pointed down at Spike, and tapped the side of her nose. "Predictable Chaos," she stated. Then she twisted, and jumped back onto the porch. "Let's go inside shall we?" She walked inside leaving a very befuddled and slightly amused Connor on the porch. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven  
  
Connor bid them farewell not long later. He needed to get back to his parents. He needed to return to some sense of normalcy. Above all, he just needed to get away from any reminder of Angel. He walked along the main street of town to where he parked his car. He looked into the sky, which was now dawning with beautiful reds and oranges. The warmth hit his face, but he had never felt so cold and empty in his life. That was saying something, given the recent return of memories of his life before.  
  
He was filled with regret. 'I should have stayed!' he thought to himself. None of this would have happened if I had stayed. He would have had time. Time to come to terms with himself, time to reconcile the two halves that made Connor, time to accept who and what he was. Above all, time to get to know, really _know_, his father. He had given him so much; a new family, a new home, a new life.  
  
He reached his car without incident. How in hell was he going to explain all this to his parents. They would know something was up. He stood at his car at what felt like an hour, before he finally got inside and drove home.

* * *

Nobody said much after Connor left. There was just too much information to take in. Spike sat with the same bottle of beer he had started out with, staring at the floor. Gunn hadn't moved from his spot either. Illyria had looked concerned (well what for her passed as it) when Connor left. She felt protective of the boy, but it was unclear to herself why. Layla looked awkward. She had not known either Angel or Connor before this, and didn't know what to say or do. All she did know was that they were meant to come here. She felt it. This was meant to happen. Connor was meant to be told. She sighed, and shook her head. He was standing at a crossroads, and now he would have to make a choice on where his life would lead. It was not going to be an easy choice to make.  
  
Spike looked at her, and met her eyes. 'Bird knows more than she's telling,' he thought. He knew she was their guide from the Powers, and now he wondered if the fact they were here and Connor was here was not more than a coincidence.  
  
"Those of you who require rest should do so," Illyria spoke, breaking the silence. "It is likely he will return later."  
  
Gunn nodded, and went to bed. Spike walked over to the window, and looked out into the morning while he smoked. His mind was buzzing with too activity to go to sleep. Illyria looked at him for a moment, then went outside. The walls were too close here for her to think.  
  
Layla joined Spike by the window. He looked at her as the light of the sunrise reflected off her face.  
  
"You know what's going on here, don't you?" he asked quietly.  
  
She looked at him sadly. Her eyes looked older suddenly, the naïveté gone for a moment. "No, I don't know what is going on. It doesn't work that way. I just know we are supposed to be here. Paths are converging." She turned and looked out the window again. "Something is about to happen here, and when it is over...Connor is never going to be the same."

* * *

Connor quietly entered his house, and headed straight for his room. He passed by rows and rows of family pictures...rows and rows of memories. He loved his parents. They were the best parents a guy could ask for. They were patient and understanding, if slightly overprotective. He stopped and looked at picture of him with his parents and sisters. They had given him a great start in life, but....memories of another type snuck in...memories of being hunted, of wide stretches of molten rock, of arid deserts, of never ever feeling safe.  
  
He walked up the stairs, and quietly slipped into his room. His dad would be up soon, but for once he did not have the energy to attempt to hide what he had been doing. He loved his parents, and hated lying to them, but ....how could he tell them? The need to hunt, the drive to be out in the dark, the realization that he was not theirs...he felt split in two.  
  
He started to take off his sneakers, when the doorbell rang. He heard his dad walk into the hallway mumbling, "Who in God's green earth would be up so damn early." He snuck out his room, and watched from the stairs as his father opened the door.  
  
There was a man in his thirties dressed in a suit on his doorstep. He smelled very familiar.  
  
"Hello, Mister Riley. My name is James Bartleby, and I am here to talk to you about your son, Connor."


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**  
  
Spike had eventually succumbed to sleep later that morning. Layla looked over at him, momentarily distracted by her thoughts. Then she looked up, as if listening to some inner voice, and phased out.

* * *

Connor had watched the conversation between his father and the man named Bartleby from the staircase. He felt a bit embarrassed to be peeking around a corner, and was not the least bit stunned when his father did not let the man in the house.  
  
"What about my son?" he asked his arms folded in front of his chest. Connor smiled, thank god for parent radar.  
  
Bartleby smiled nervously. "Perhaps we should discuss this inside? It's nothing bad I assure you."  
  
Mr. Riley did not budge. "Look, I don't know you, but I do know better than to_ invite_ strange men into my house."  
  
'Go Dad!' Connor thought, and once again was glad Angel had insisted on his parents learning the rudimentaries of the demon world. _For Connor's sake_ he had said.  
  
The Englishman hands fluttered around him nervously. He had been unprepared for such hostility. "I have been instructed to seek Connor out. I work for a group that has been on the look out for special people like him. We know of his ...well...greater than normal strength and speed." He took a step back as Mr. Riley took a step forward. The anger was barely contained on the older man's face.  
  
"How do you know of my son's ...abilities?" he stated flatly.  
  
"Well we have been observing his activities for sometime, and we ..."  
  
"Let me get this straight," Mr. Riley interrupted, "You have been _following_ my son around _watching_ him?"  
  
"Why yes. We had to, to make sure if he indeed possessed the skills...."  
  
He didn't finish his sentence. The older man erupted.  
  
"How dare you! Get out of here, before I call the police!"  
  
Connor moved behind his father.  
  
"Please let me explain. It's not what you think. We are not here to anyway hurt your son. We believe he is a ...well ... slayer."  
  
Connor's eyes went wide. "A what?"  
  
Mr. Riley jumped at his son's voice. "Connor..."  
  
Connor started laughing. "You have been following me around, taking pictures, cuz you think I'm a ...slayer!" He collapsed into a fit of it.  
  
"Connor, you knew about this?" The older man looked at his son, who was sitting on the floor laughing his head off. "Why in heaven's name didn't you tell me or your mother?"  
  
Connor looked up at his father, and the laughing quieted as he saw how concerned his father was. He stood up, and shrugged a bit ashamed. "Figured I could handle it. I didn't want to worry you."  
  
Bartleby was watching the exchange with a look of surprise on his face. "You know of the slayers?" he asked Connor.  
  
Connor looked at him with barely restrained irritation. "Of course I do. You've got me all wrong. For a start, slayers are girls."  
  
"Yes, well due to the recent influx, we hypothesized based on your skill level that you were the start of a whole new line. A male line."  
  
Mr. Riley looked at Bartleby in shock. Connor sighed.  
  
"I'm not a slayer. So, you and your friends in suits can just go home, ok?"  
  
Bartleby looked at him patronizingly. Mr. Riley looked concerned.  
  
"It makes a kind of weird sense, Connor," he said.  
  
"No Dad. I am not a slayer. I can't explain right now, but I'm not."  
  
His Dad knew when not to push him, and this was one of those times. He had been acting very oddly the past few days, but that was something they could work out later.  
  
"Forgive me Connor, but how can you know this. We are trained professionals on dealing with slayers. We have devoted our lives to know what is and isn't one."  
  
Connor could not take the smug look on his face one more minute. He stalked toward the Englishman, and grabbed him by the lapels. "Look Dress for Less, don't presume to tell me ever what I do and don't know. Now I suggest you leave, before I exhibit some of my special tendencies on you."  
  
Bartleby blanched, and backed slowly away as soon as Connor let him go. When he reached his car, he looked at Connor one last time. "We could have helped you. Made you great beyond your dreams." Connor glared at him, and he hurriedly got in his car and left.  
  
Connor turned, and looked at his father. Mr. Riley looked stunned for a moment the receding car, then back at his son. "Connor, do you know what is going on?"  
  
"No, Dad." Connor turned and looked down the driveway. "But I intend to find out." 


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine  
**  
Gunn awakened that night to find himself relatively alone in the room. Illyria was sitting on the porch, and he could see her face through the open door. She appeared to be listening to something far away, and her brow was furrowed with concentration. Spike had vanished, and Layla, too, was nowhere to be found.  
  
He sat up slowly, and rubbed his neck. His head felt all foggy, but at least the headache of information overload was gone. Illyria turned her head, and looked at him. Satisfied, she turned back to her view outside.  
  
"Did I wake you?" she asked.  
  
Gunn shook his head, "No. Where's everybody?"  
  
"Spike had to 'go out,' as he put it. Layla has been gone since this morning."  
  
Gunn raised an eyebrow at that. "Gone? Gone where?"  
  
Illyria looked at him. "I do not know. I would have told you if I did."  
  
Gunn frowned, then he caught the slight smile on the edge of her lips. "Did you just make a joke?"  
  
Illyria's eyes widened, and a in a mock haughty voice said, "Of course not Charles."  
  
Gunn chuckled.  
  
Then the phone rang.

* * *

The rest of Connor's morning went actually rather normally. His father had gone back inside, and made good on his threat to call the police. They were expected to come by in the afternoon to take statements. Connor had followed him in and, after explaining in lengthy terms to his mother that everything was all right, gone up stairs and taken a well-deserved shower. When he came back down for breakfast, he saw his parents were both completely unconvinced still that everything was under control.  
  
"Maybe we should call Angel," his mother said after pancakes. Connor's head snapped up. "Well, you and he got along so well, Dear. Maybe he can find out who that man really is."  
  
Connor looked down at his plate. "We can't call him, Mom."  
  
His father looked at him surprised, "Why not?"  
  
Connor took a long gulp of orange juice, and tried to keep it from coming back up. "Because he's dead."  
  
His mother dropped her fork. "Dead? Are you sure?"  
  
Connor nodded. He couldn't look at them. "Yeah, I'm sure."  
  
"How did you find out?" his father asked him, concern was thick in his voice.  
  
Connor took a deep breath, and tried to push the agony out of his voice. "I ran into some of his friends. There was an...earthquake...or something. Wolfram and Hart was destroyed. I guess Angel was caught in it." 'Ok, so I am now blatantly lying to my parents,' he thought to himself. 'But what am I supposed to tell them? Angel brought on an apocalypse, and was killed in the fight? Yeah, that will go over _real_ well.'  
  
Connor's parents looked at each other for a moment. Then his mother said, "Well perhaps we can call them then? Honestly, Connor, I don't know how far the police are going to get."  
  
Connor sighed, but inwardly agreed with his mom. "They are staying at the Sunset Ridge Motel. I think it's number 3D. But well...um...one of them has a sun allergy, so I don't think they'll get here till tonight."  
  
Connor's dad seemed to accept this. "Fine, we'll call them this evening. Maybe they can come for dinner?"  
  
Connor groaned inwardly. 'Oh this should be fun,' he thought to himself.

* * *

That afternoon, after Connor had managed to escape his younger sister's incessant questions on the morning event, he sat in the garden contemplating well...everything. The police had arrived as promised. They had taken a cast of the tire tracks, taken their statements, and promised to look into it right away. Connor's parents had looked hopeful, but he knew they would find nothing. 'These guys are too well organized,' he thought to himself. Inwardly, he knew they were long gone.  
  
He felt someone sit down beside him. He looked up, and was startled to see Layla there. She did not look at him, but instead looked into the trees surrounding the house.  
  
"How did you get here?" he asked quietly.  
  
She looked at him now. No, Connor thought, looked through him. "Does that matter?" she asked him in response.  
  
"Yes...and no." He looked back at her. 'Wow, she's really pretty,' he thought to himself. There was something very serene, yet otherworldly about her, and she smelt like lilacs. "You're not human are you?" he asked.  
  
She smiled, and looked into the trees again. "Not yet," she responded.  
  
"Are you here about the thing this morning?" he said sighing.  
  
She shook her head sadly. "No... I am here for you." She frowned, and shook her head. "That did not come out right. I mean...I am here to help you."  
  
Connor looked at her baffled. "Help me? How?"  
  
She continued looking at the trees for a moment, then reached down and plucked a dandelion off the ground and looked at it with wonder.  
  
"You have a choice to make, Connor. You're life has reached a vertex...a crossroads. You need to decide how you want to live it. Do you continue as you are now? Or do you start a new path? It's not an easy choice, but no one can make it for you."  
  
"So what are you my guardian angel?" he asked with a smirk.  
  
"Yes...and no. I am merely a guide. I can point the question out to you. Maybe make it clearer. But only you can solve it. It's your life, Connor. You have been blessed with the second chance you received. Angel gave you the biggest gift a father can make. What you do with it is your decision." She stretched her legs, and stood up. She turned and looked at him, "But I do know this. Hiding from who and what you are, will only bring you more pain. Have faith, Connor. Trust your heart." She offered him her hand. He took it, and she pulled him to his feet. She was stronger than she looked, he noted.  
  
He heard a truck pull into the driveway. "I think your friends are here," he said. Layla smiled.

* * *

**Just a brief note: Now it has been asked if I will be using Lindsey in my Heros line. As it stands now, no I will not. Characters that have died, for the most part will not be returning. That means no Cordy, Doyle, Lindsey, etc., unless I have a very specific reason for doing so. Also, because I like Lindsey as much as the next person, Lindsey was a great foil for Angel. I am trying to move away from that and address these characters as they are now, and frankly Lindsey just doesn't fit.**

**Hope that answers some questions.**

**-Aeryn**


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten  
**  
Spike had returned not long later, and Gunn informed the group they had been invited to dinner at Connor's house. Spike had raised an eyebrow, and Illyria looked...well like Illyria (you could never really tell what she was thinking). Gunn found himself a bit daunted by the prospect, but as far as he reconciled that it was a free, home-cooked meal, so why not.  
  
The ride over to the Rileys' was quiet. Gunn drove because he had been the one who had gotten directions. Spike sat in the back smoking, and Illyria marveled approvingly at all the green. When they arrived, Gunn looked at Spike as he got out of the car.  
  
"Um..Spike.."  
  
"Don't worry Charlie," Spike interrupted, sensing where this was going. "I promise to be on my best behavior." He held up his fingers, "Boy Scout promise."  
  
Gunn sighed. 'Boy scout my ass,' he thought. Illyria ignored them, and walked up to the front door, but seemed unsure what to do next. Luckily for her, the door was opened by Connor's mother. She gave the group a warm smile, and invited them inside.  
  
"Hello! I'm Colleen Riley," and she gestured to the man standing next to her, "and this is my husband Laurence. You must be the friends of Angel's Connor told us about. I am very sorry to hear of his death."  
  
Illyria nodded. "He fell against a mighty foe."  
  
Colleen blinked. "Oh, Connor said he died in an earthquake."  
  
"Oh he did, he did." Gunn intervened hastily. "Illyria, here, likes to think of the earth as a living thing all its own." He looked hard at Illyria, who looked back confused.  
  
"Lovely home you have here." Spike interjected changing the subject.  
  
"Thank you." Colleen said with a smile, looking around. "We've been here since Connor was a baby."  
  
The back door opened, and in walked Connor, and next to him was...  
  
"Layla?" Spike said surprised. "How'd you get here?"  
  
"I flew." She said with a very cheeky smile.  
  
"Right," Spike answered not sure whether to be exasperated or amused. He still couldn't tell when she was serious or not. To his relief, Connor's parents seemed to take her appearance in stride.  
  
A buzzer rang in the kitchen. "Shall we?" Colleen said, and led them into the dining room.

* * *

Dinner had gone quite well, all things considered. Connor was relieved that his sisters had gone to dinner at their friends' houses, and not been home for this conversation. It was too many questions he was not ready to answer for them; it was hard enough with his parents.  
  
Afterwards, everyone gathered into the living room, and after a very pushy look from his mother, the teenager explained to the group what had happen that morning.  
  
"So what do you think?" Laurence asked. "The police didn't sound too hopeful, and these crazy guys are still out there following my son."  
  
Spike looked thoughtful. They sounded like Watchers all right. He wouldn't have put it past the twits to set up Connor with a bunch of tests, just to prove their theory. The whole feeling of being incredibly full of themselves, also fit. However, something about the whole scenario felt a just little off. Something he couldn't put his finger on.  
  
Illyria looked impassively around during the conversation. However, when the room became silence, she looked right at Spike. There was a hint of anger in her cold, blue eyes, and he wondered how they would look if she was in her full glory. "These beings need to be punished for their insolence. Their arrogance should not be allowed to continue," she said decisively.  
  
Gunn snorted. "Well I think she just summed up what we were all thinking. So where do we start? Do we have any idea where Watchers hang out?"  
  
Spike looked at Connor, as if he was analyzing him. "Did you catch his scent?"  
  
Connor nodded. "Yeah. Cheap cologne, and lots of it; with a mixture of cigars and brandy." Then catching the vampire's unspoken question, he smiled in understanding. "I could track it, no problem."  
  
Spike nodded. 'The kid's sharp,' he thought. "Ok, here's the plan. Connor and Illyria, you two follow the trail see where it ends up." They nodded in agreement. "If you find anything, you call back here. No going it alone. We do this as a group. Watchers are sneaky, devious little folk, but they do have tricks up their sleeves."  
  
Then Spike turned to Gunn. "Stay here with the Rileys. I doubt any of the stalkers will come back, but best be on the safe side." Gunn nodded, and got up and went out to get his gear from the truck. "Layla, you're with me. We'll patrol the town, see if there is any of them are hanging around." Then realizing something, he looked at Layla. "Can you fight?"  
  
"I'd prefer not to," she said with a frown. "I have been trained to do so, when necessary."  
  
"Good." Spike looked at the Rileys, "Do you perhaps have a portable we can use?" Colleen looked confused, and then catching on she nodded, and took her cell phone out of her purse, and handed it to Spike.  
  
He put it in his coat pocket, and gave the group a meaningful look. "Ok everyone keep in touch. Call in to Gunn every 15 minutes."  
  
Connor hugged his mom and dad goodbye. "I promise I'll get to the bottom of this," he whispered to them. His mom kissed him on the cheek. His father smiled. "I know you will, Son." Connor turned, and looked resolutely at the others.  
  
"Let's go, Illyria." He turned and walked confidently out the door, like one who was used to setting out into battle. Illyria nodded to the other, and followed him a moment later into the night.  
  
Spike looked at Gunn meaningfully. "Hold down the fort, Charlie boy. Alright Angel Toes, let's skedaddle." Layla smiled at Laurence and Colleen. She placed a hand on each of their arms. They seemed to relax a bit under her touch. Then she turned to Spike, took his hand in her own, and they vanished.  
  
Gunn looked at the Rileys, and felt very awkward. "Well, now I guess we sit and wait."  
  
Colleen sat with her husband for several minutes, her hands twisting in her lap. Suddenly, she stood up. "Would anyone like some coffee?"  
  
"I would!" came the unanimous response.  
  
Colleen quickly headed off to the kitchen, grateful for something to do other than wait.

* * *

**Next up: The Education of Mr. Riley  
  
That's right all! It's a two parter!**


End file.
